Memories of Summer

 

Memories of summer

Do you know 'Fredrick', a children's book from Leo Leoni? Frederick is a little mouse, and in summer he is collecting colours, smells, sunlight... to profit from them in deep winter. In winter he is telling other mice from all the colours to give them a feeling of warmth.

This square catches up the spirit of this book. I developed in autumn 2023, without any specific flower in my mind. But full of colours, structure and everything a square can provide and I am writing down everything now in winter 2024. Now, in summer 2025, finally everything is ready, tested and revisted. As it is a very complex square, it really took a lot of time, and I hope, we (my testers and me) found every mistake and unconsitency. If not, please forgive me and ask. I`ll always there for help if needed.

When you work in summer, perhaps you can put some good wishes for the next cold and grey winter in it.

However- have fun with it!

Pattern uses U.S. Terms

Size: 12“ by using aran weight yarn.

Skill level:

advanced intermediate to advanced (basic stitches, but many; concentration on stitch placement needed), note that it is a very complex pattern!

Material:

• yarn of your choice (aran weight for 12“)

• 5 mm hook

• scissors

• yarn needle

Abbreviations (in alphabetic order):

• 3 dccl – 3 double crochet cluster

• bl – back loop

• blsc – back loop single crochet

• bpdc – back post double crochet

• bphdc – back post half double crochet

• bpsc – back post single crochet

• bptr – back post treble crochet

• ch – chain

• dc – double crochet

• fl – front loop

• flsc – front loop single crochet

• fo – fasten off

• fpdc – front post double crochet

• fpsc – front post single crochet

• fptr – front post treble crochet

• fptr2tog – front post treble 2 together

• hdc – half double crochet

• puff – puff stitch (see below)

• rd - round

• sc – single crochet

• sk – skip

• slst – slip stitch

• st – stitch

• tr – treble crochet

Special stitches:

picot: ch 3, slst into first ch

puff: *Yarn over, Insert hook in given stitch/space, yarn over, pull up a long loop through that stitch/space (3 loops on hook)* . Repeat from *-* two more times. You should have 7 loops on the hook (same height for all loops). Yarn over and pull through all 7 loops on your hook, ch1 to close the puff stitch.

Note:

the first stitch of a round is a standing stitch, unless otherwise stated. If you don't feel comfortable with standing stitches, you can slst and work ch- stitches instead of the first st (ch 1 for sc, ch 2 for hdc, ch 3 for dc, ch 4 for tr).

Colourways:

Round	Hot fire colourway	Ethiopian colourway	Cold blue colourway
1	white	white	light grey
2	white	white	light grey
3	light yellow	light yellow	middle blue
4	light red	light red	white
5	light red	light red	white
6	dark red	dark red	sand
7	light red	light red	dark blue
8	wine red	light yellow	light browm
9	yellow	yellow	middle blue
10	dark red	dark red	dark blue
11	white	green	white
12	white	green	white
13	sand	white	sand
14	light yellow	light yellow	light brown
15	yellow	yellow	middle blue
16	dark red	dark red	dark blue
17	light red	green	white
18	wine red	white	sand
19	dark red	white	middle blue
20	light red	white	dark blue

Pattern:

1. Ch 4, close to circle with slst. Ch 1( does not count as st), 4 sc into that circle. Slst into first sc, do not fo. (4 sc)

2. Work into middle circle, over rd 1 st: 8sc. Slst into first sc, fo. (8 sc)

3. Work in fl only, start at any st: slst in that st, (ch 2, 3dccl, picot, ch 2, slst into same st, slst into next st) x8. Fo. (16 ch-2-spaces, 8 3dccl, 8 picot, 16 slst)

4. Work only in bl of rd 2, sk all other st, start in any st: (sc, ch 3, sk 1 st) x4. Slst to first sc, do not fo. (4 sc, 4 ch-3)

5. Work only in rd 4 spaces, sk all st: (slst into next ch-3- space, dc, ch 1, dc, ch 1, dc, slst into same ch-3- space) x4. fo. (8 slst, 12 dc, 8 ch-1)

6. In this round you will tack down the first 4 leaves of your rd 3 petals. Start in first dc of a 3- dc- fan: [(sc, hdc) into dc, 2 dc into ch-1- space, ch 1, bptr around middle dc of rd 3 3dccl, picot, ch 1, now back to rd 5: 2 dc into next ch-1- space, (hdc,sc) into next dc, slst into rd 4 sc] x4. Slst to first sc, fo ( 8 sc, 8 hdc, 16 dc, 8 ch-1, 4 bptr, 4 picot)

7. In this round you will tack down the last 4 leaves of the rd 3 petals. Start in sc after a slst: [bpsc, 3 bphdc, (ch 1, puff) x2 into ch-1- space, (ch 1, puff) x2 into picot, (ch 1, puff) x2 into next ch-1- space, ch 1, 3 bphdc, sk last st, bpsc around middle dc of rd 3 3dccl] x4. Slst into first st, fo. (8 bpsc, 24 bphdc, 28 ch-1, 24 puff)

8. Start around any last puff of a 6- puff- series: [fpsc around puff, ch 6, fpsc around first puff of next petal, 2 sc into ch-1- space, fpsc around next puff, sc into next ch-1- space, sk puff, into next ch-1- space: (4 dc, picot, 3 dc), sk next puff, sc into ch-1- space, fpsc around puff, 2 sc into next ch-1- space] x4. Slst to first st, fo. (16 fpsc, 4 ch-6, 24 sc, 28 dc, 4 picot)

9. Start in any rd 7 ch-1- space after the last puff of a 6- puff- group, work in front of the rd 8 ch-6: [sc, (3 dc, picot,3 dc) into rd 7 bpsc (the one that is worked into rd 3 3dccl), sc into ch-1- space (before next puff, work in front of rd 8 ch-6); now to rd 8: 4 blsc into next 4 st after the ch-6- space, ch 5 (place behind corner fan), sk all st until the last 4 st before the next ch-6, work 4 blsc into the last 4 st] x4. Slst to first st, fo. (8 sc, 24 dc, 4 picot, 32 blsc, 4 ch-5)

10. The scs in this round are worked into stitches which already have a blsc worked in. Start in rd 8 st, start in any sc after a rd 8 corner fan: [4 flsc, sk next st, (puff, ch 1, puff) into space between rd 9 sc and rd 9 dc-fan and around rd 8 ch-6, (puff, ch 1, puff) into rd 9 picot, (puff, ch 1, puff) into space between rd 9 dc- fan and rd 9 sc and around rd 8 ch- 6, back to rd 8: sk 1 st, 4 flsc, pull the rd 8 ch- 5 to the front of your work through the gap under the rd 9 fan and work a tr into the ch sp, ch 2, (puff, ch 2, puff) into rd 9 corner picot, ch 2, back to rd 8: tr (worked like tr before)] x4. Slst to first st, fo. (32 flsc. 12 ch- 1, 32 puff, 8 tr, 12 ch-2) Note: Your square will be a bit wavy now. Don't panic- we will made it flat again.

11. We are switching the corners now. The new corners will be between the middle puffs of a 6- puff- group. Start in the gap between the second and the third puff of a 6- puff- group: [dc, fpdc around third and fourth puff together, ch 3, fpdc around third and forth puff together again, dc into gap between fourth and fifth puff, 2 hdc into next ch- 1- space, sc into first sc; now to rd.9 (behind rd 10): sc into sc directly under the next rd 10 sc, sc, 2 sc into ch-5- space (before the first rd 10 tr), 2 sc into ch- 5- space (after the second rd 10 tr); sk 1 st, sc into next 2 sc, now to rd 10: sc into sc before the puff, 2 hdc into ch-1- space (between next two puffs)] x4. Slst to first st, do not fo. (per side: 2 dc, 2 fpdc, 1ch-3, 4 hdc, 9 sc = 18 st/ side)

12. Slst until ch-3- space (the new corner space), ch 1 (does not count as st): [(hdc, ch 2, hdc) = corner made, 2 hdc, 3 dc, hdc, 6 sc, hdc, 3 dc, 2 hdc] x4. Fo. (per side: 8 hdc, 6 dc, 6 sc = 20 st/ side)

13. Start in corner ch-2- space: [(dc, ch 3, dc)= corner made; 8 bpdc; now in rd 10: sc in ch-2- space before puff, fpsc around puff, 3 sc into next ch-1- space, fpsc around next puff, sc into ch-2- space, back to rd 12: sk 3 st, 8 bpdc] x4. Slst to first dc, fo. (per side: 2 dc, 16 bpdc, 5 sc, 2 fpsc = 25 st/ side)

14. Start in corner ch-3- space: [7 dc in corner ch-3- space, sk 2 st, (sc, ch 1, sk 1 st) x3, 9 sc, (ch 1, sk 2 st, sc) x3] x4. Slst to first dc, fo. (per side: 7 dc, 15 sc, 6 ch-1 = 29 st/ side)

15. Start in fourth dc of a 7- dc-group (should be the corner): [(sc,ch 2, sc) = corner made, 2 sc, ch 1, sk 1 st, puff into gap between last dc and first sc, (ch 1, sk 1 sc, puff in ch-1- space) x3, ch 1, sk 2 st, 5 bpsc, ch 1, sk 2 st, (puff into ch-1- space, ch 1, sk sc) x3, puff in gap between last sc and first dc, ch 1, sk first dc, 2 sc] x4. Slst to first sc, fo. (per side: 6 sc, 10 ch-1, 8 puff, 5 bpsc = 29 st/ side)

16. Start in corner ch-2- space: [(sc, ch 2, sc) = corner made, bpsc around next 3 st, fptr around rd 13 dc (first one after the corner), ch 1, (fpsc around puff, ch 1) x4, sc in each of first two bpsc, ch 1, fptr2tog (first leg around first part of rd 8 ch 6 {this is the small ch- part before the two round 10 puffs}, second leg around second part of rd 8 ch-6 {this is the small ch-part after the two rd 10 puffs}), ch 1, sk 1 sc (behind fptr2tog just worked), sc in each of last two bpsc, (ch 1, fpsc around puff) x4, ch 1, fptr around rd 13 dc (last dc before the corner), 3 bpsc] x4. Slst to first sc, fo. (per side: 6 sc, 6 bpsc, 12 ch-1, 8 fpsc, 2 fptr, 1 fptr2tog = 35 st/ side)

17. Start in corner ch-2- space: [(hdc, ch 2, hdc) = corner made, 4 hdc, fpdc around fptr, (hdc in fpsc, dc around rd 15 and rd 16 ch-1- space) x4, 2 hdc, puff around fptr2tog (between both legs), 2 hdc, (dc around rd 15 and rd 16 ch-1- space, hdc) x4, fpdc around fptr, 4 hdc] x4. Slst to first hdc, fo. (per side: 22 hdc, 2 fpdc, 8 dc, 1 puff = 33 st/side)

18. Start in corner ch-2- space: [(dc, ch 2, dc) = corner made, 5 bpdc, fpdc around fpdc, 10 dc, fpdc around puff, 10 dc, fpdc around fpdc, 5 bpdc] x4. Fo (per side: 22 dc, 10 bpdc, 3 fpdc = 35 st/ side)

19. Start in corner ch-2- space: [(sc, ch 2, sc) = corner made, 35 sc] x4. Slst to first sc, fo. (37 sc/ side)

20. Start in corner ch-2- space: [(dc, ch 2, dc) = corner made, 7 bpdc, fptr around rd 18 fpdc, sk 1 st (do not accidentely sk two st!), 21 dc, fptr around rd 18 fpdc, sk 1 st, 7 bpdc] x4. Slst to first dc, fo. (per side: 23 dc, 14 bpdc, 2 fptr = 39 st/ side)

Round by round pictures (round 1 to 18, no pictures for rd 19 and 20, as these rounds are pretty easy)

A bit thank you to my testers Lynne (hrdnglynne on ravelry), Natalie (Sms134 on ravelry) and Anne (Catinmylap on ravelry)

That's it! Have fun! Copyright by Loewenzahm August 2025